Beyond Conditioning
by Knife Hand
Summary: The Cyborgs of the Social Welfare Agency are sent on a mission into Africa. Against a massive Demon incursion. Buffy/Gunslinger Girl Crossover. Chapter 2 up.
1. Chapter 1

Title: Beyond Conditioning.

Author: Knife Hand

Feedback: Constructive feedback appreciated, flames unappreciated

Spoilers: Nothing Specific.

Rating: M

Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy or Gunslinger Girl... I would buy them all but I am broke.

Summary: The Cyborgs of the Social Welfare Agency are sent on a mission into Africa. Against a massive Demon incursion. Buffy/Gunslinger Girl Crossover.

* * *

"Looks like a big op." Marco said as he looked around. "But it's weird. None of the support agents are here."

Giuseppe looked around and silently agreed. Apart from the Director, everyone present were Handlers. In fact, they were all the Handlers of the First Generation Cyborgs. Recently the Social Welfare Agency had begun creating Second and even on or two Third Generation Cyborgs. These later generations were not as powerful as the first gens like Henrietta or Triella but they were able to use older candidates, into their late teens rather than the younger first gen girls, and were expected to have longer operation lifespans. Still when the Agency needed something done right the mission went to the First Gens.

"As many of you suspect, there is a big operation in the works." The Director said. "This one is not in Italy however, but due to some international agreements, we were given the information on this mission and have authority to go in. Four Countries have had their shot at this and all failed, so we are sending in the First Generation Cyborgs."

"How many?" One of the handlers asked.

"All of them." The Director replied.

"Seventeen First Gens? That's ridiculous." Hillshire said.

"Nineteen. I said all of the First Gens, that includes Claus and Angelica." The Director clarified.

"Angelica is not ready." Marco said. "There's no way she can operate in a civilian environment."

"That won't be a problem." Juan reassured.

"Who's lead?" Giuseppe asked.

"Triella will be in command." The Director replied.

"Right." Hillshire said. "When do I get full ops command briefing?"

"You don't." The Director replied. "I said Triella is in changer, not the Triella/Hillshire Fratello. No handlers are going on this mission. Survival probability is low for the Cyborgs, it would be zero for a Handler. It's a suicide mission."

"As you will be losing your charge through no fault of your own," Juan began before anyone can say anything, "Should any of you wish to leave the Agency, that can be arranged without any black mark or issue. For the rest of you, we will be beginning the process of locating new candidates. These candidates will be Gen two or Gen three, depending on their compatibility, so most candidates will be in their early to mid teens."

"The first generations are our best assets." Giuseppe argued. "Triella and Henrietta's records alone…. Why are they being used on a suicide mission?"

"Giuseppe…" Juan began before being cut off by the Director.

"It is a fair question." The Director said. "The First Gens were not originally designed to fight the Five Factions. There is a warrior known throughout the world. A girl who fights the things that haunt mankind's nightmares. The Slayer. Our Cyborgs are an attempt to use technology to replicate this warriors' abilities."

"What's this got to do with the mission?" Marco asked.

"This enemy, these Demons, are the mission." The Director explained. "There is an open portal to a Hell Dimension in central Africa. Most of the African Continent is now under their control" The Director explained. "This is the final chance. The Cyborgs will be meeting up with an agent of the organisation that controls The Slayer, a Mr Harris, who will lead them to the Portal with the remnants of his team and whatever military units he can scrounge up. Should this operation fail, the entire continent of Africa will be under military quarantine with a shoot on sight order for anything trying to leave."

"If they know the location, surely a surgical aerial strike…." One Handler began.

"Tried it." Juan said. "Didn't work. Tried carpet bombing. Didn't work. Hell, the Americans even tried a Fuel Air Bomb. The Slayer's people explained it as Magic, but they managed to prevent the Americans from trying to nuke the damn thing. From what I understand it wouldn't have worked anyway and there are indications it may have made some of the enemy more powerful."

"Holly shit." Someone muttered.

* * *

Giuseppe stood in the admin building of the military airport watching out the window as The Director, Juan and Hillshire gave the final instructions to the Command Cyborgs. Triella was of course in command, but she had been given the option of selecting her own command staff. Triella had, almost unsurprisingly, selected Claus as her tactical advisor and liaison with other forces. She had then selected Henrietta as her second in command.

By all rights, Giuseppe should be out there farewelling the Cyborgs, but he could not face Henrietta. Not after she had found out he was not coming on the mission. She had cried, screamed and almost completely destroyed the room she had shared with Rico.

Every one of the Cyborgs, except Claus, had reacted in some way to the news their handler was not coming. Ranging from Rico's almost silent confusion and constantly asking Triella why Juan would not be going, to Angelina's sobbing and begging for Marco not to leave her. Triella had the most moderate reaction and simply sent the entire time with Hillshire going over strategies and maps of the target area.

Giuseppe heard Marco's footsteps approach as he watched the six on the tarmac. Marco had been having a hard time with the order that the girls were to go alone. He had been in numerous arguments with Juan and the Director over the whole affair, even demanding that he would go regardless of their wishes.

"So, what are you going to do now?" Giuseppe asked, not looking away from the tarmac.

"I don't know." Marco replied. "I just can't stay with the Agency. What about you?"

"I have nothing else." Giuseppe replied. "And I guess that I have not given up on Henrietta."

Marco simply nodded, turned and walked away.

* * *

As the cargo plane landed and taxied down the runway at the formally abandoned military airfield, Triella organised the girls for disembarkation. They were all dressed in military camouflage uniforms with massive backpacks, some seeming almost as large as the girls themselves, and assault rifles in their hands. Each girl also had their own preferred weapons, such as Henrietta's P90 or Rico's Sniper Riffle, which were stored in their backpacks.

The rear ramp lowered while the plane was still in motion and the girls simply stepped off ramp and onto the tarmac, spreading out to avoid a single explosion taking them all out and to more easily cover the area. They kept moving in the spread line towards the command buildings. A light came intermittently from one of the windows, blinking out the mission's recognition code.

"Kira, take four girls and sweep to the west. Silvia, the same to the east. Do not engage unless they attack first. Rest of you with me." Triella ordered.

Triella and Henrietta were the first ones through the door to the building, followed by the other seven Cyborgs in their team. When they reached the room the coded light had come from they found the door open and five occupants, all dressed in worn but comfortable clothes that did not restrict movement. Sitting comfortably in the middle of the room was a man with dark hair, a soulful brown eye and an eyepatch. Flanking him in defensive positions were four women. In their late teens, the women were all armed with various melee weapons and a few pistols.

Triella held up her hand to prevent any of the Cyborgs from firing as she looked over the other occupants of the room.

"Got twelve people hidden on the western perimeter." Kira reported over the radio. "Didn't let on we saw them."

"Same on the east." Silvia confirmed.

"I assume you are Harris?" Triella asked. "My name is Triella, I'm in charge of the Agency Team."

"Yeah, I'm Harris." The man replied. "Council Team."

"Ok, let's stop playing games." Triella said. "Why don't you have your teams in the perimeter stand down and we don't start shooting them to prevent an ambush?"

Harris just smiled and touched the radio earbud in his left ear.

"Molly, Kate, stand down." Harris ordered. "It's confirmed. This is the Agency Team."

"I would prefer if we could move out as soon as possible." Triella said. "The plane could have attracted attention."

* * *

Giuseppe entered the Director's Office having been called in. He sat down on the chair in front of the Director's desk.

"Thank you for coming, Giuseppe." The Director said.

"Is there a problem?" Giuseppe asked. "The doctors have not yet cleared Alyssa for duty yet."

"It's about the Africa Mission." The Director said. "We received the report this morning. The mission failed. The entire continent is being sealed off. I'm sorry Giuseppe, but it looks like all of the First Generations are dead."

"Will that be all?" Giuseppe asked.

The Director simply nodded. A part of Giuseppe died with the news that Henrietta was dead. Henrietta was special. He would not be treating Alyssa like he did Henrietta.

TBC…


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Beyond Conditioning.

Author: Knife Hand

Feedback: Constructive feedback appreciated, flames unappreciated

Spoilers: Nothing Specific.

Rating: M

Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy or Gunslinger Girl... I would buy them all but I am broke.

Summary: The Cyborgs of the Social Welfare Agency are sent on a mission into Africa. Against a massive Demon incursion. Buffy/Gunslinger Girl Crossover.

* * *

Colonel Riley Finn stood in the front of the transport, his armoured gauntlet gripping the handhold as he looked over the shoulder of the technician at the transport's command station just behind the cockpit, the heads up display on his helmet linking into the broader tactical network. The transport was one of sixteen, and the smallest, as it contained the command elements of the task force.

In the ten years since Africa had been quarantined and in those years the world had united unlike ever before in the face of non-human enemy, because for once there was no need to invent the justifications needed to fight other humans. As a result, technology had surged ahead, military technology in particular to counter the 'natural' advantages the Demons had. While war had always surged Technology forward, Magic had been the great advantage, once they had figured out how to integrate it without overloading the electronics, which had advanced technology by almost a century.

The commanders of the two other elements of the task force were standing beside him. One was an older gentleman, with the surname of Croce, who somehow made his armour seem like a nice, expensive suit, spoiled somewhat by the advanced assault rifle clipped to his armour and his helmet clipped to his belt alongside a powerful pistol. The other was Faith, who was wearing what was officially known as 'Light' Armour, which had nowhere near as much protection as 'Heavy' Armour that the two men were wearing but it allowed Faith to use her Slayer speed and agility, with a visor over her eyes in place of a full helmet, with an assault rifle and Longsword the most prominent of her weapons.

There were two versions of the 'Light' Armour, one which was equipped with therm-opitc camouflage and advanced sensors suites, known as Recon Armour, which was used by stealthy scouts and Snipers. The other did not have the camouflage or the advanced sensors, instead had slightly better protection without sacrificing mobility but had a lot of pockets, straps and loops, specifically designed for stakes, vials of Holy Water, Swords, Knives and a plethora of other equipment. This version was known as Slayer Armour.

"Two minutes to drop zone." The technician announced.

"Everyone get ready." Riley ordered. "Assume hostile drop zone."

"I don't give a fuck what those dipshit analysts say." Faith said. "I ain't giving up on Boytoy being alive. All the Slayers have orders to keep an eye out for friendlies, and despite all the Tech, the Slayers are still the best way to tell friendlies and there are some things guns can't fight. That's why you got at least one Slayer with each of your Platoons, Corn-fed."

"Colonel, Senior Slayer Lehane is correct. It's the same reason why there is a Fratello with each of your Companies as well." Croce said.

"One minute." The technician said.

Both Faith and Croce turned towards the back of the transport, quickly slipping into their AG harnesses, followed a second later by Riley. There were five soldiers of Riley's Command Unit, four in standard Heavy Armour and one in a Communications modified version. Four Slayers in their trademark Light Armour, with visors instead of helmets and an array of axes, sword and knives in addition to firearms. Croce's team was the most diverse. There were two older men and one older woman, with all the hallmarks of veteran soldiers, in Heavy Armour, and four younger women in their mid-twenties, who were in Slayer Armour, with helmets and a much heavier firearm focus than the actual Slayer, with a few knives being the only bladed weapons in evidence on their armour.

"Hillshire, Ferro, Armando, keep your teams well-spaced during the drop. Alyssa, stick close to me." Croce ordered.

"Yes, Giuseppe." Alyssa replied.

The jump light went from red to green and the door in the floor of the transport slid open, revealing a long slit down the centre of the aircraft.

"Go. Go. Go." Riley ordered.

Within a second, everyone in the small command transport stepped forward and dropped out of the aircraft and into the dark, moonless night. Without the optical enhancements of the armour, Riley would not have been able to see the soldier dropping next to him, let alone the entire task force.

From the larger transport well over a hundred figures were dropping out of each aircraft. An entire Regiment of specially trained US Army Demon Hunters, almost two thousand soldiers; eighty Slayers and forty Fratello teams dropping out of the sky, spreading out over a few square kilometres of sky.

* * *

Third Squad, First Platoon, Bravo Company, First Division, First Demon Hunters Regiment landed in the target zone in fairly close order, though one of the Privates pushed his AG harness too hard and hovered for a few seconds about a foot above the ground before landing hard. The Sergeant started immediately issuing orders to set up a defensive perimeter around their immediate landing area, a clearing with trees to the south and a ridgeline to the west.

At a hum he felt even through his Armour, the Sergeant looked up and saw a solo figure in Light Armour and a visor land with a grace that clearly indicated, if the Armour hadn't, that she was a Slayer.

"Slayer." The Sergeant said with a nod.

"Sergeant Marks." The Slayer replied, reading his nametag on his Armour. "My name's Jennifer. What's the situation?"

"We're securing the area." Marks said.

"Wait a second." Jennifer said, spinning to face away from Marks and raising her assault rifle.

One of the Privates was being led out of the darkness by two figures, one arm held behind him and an arm around his neck. The fact that these figures could immobilise someone in armour left only three possibilities. Demon, Slayer or Agency Cyborg.

"Identify yourself." A female voice rang out.

Jennifer lowered her gun at the voice when she recognised the voice.

"Sarah, it's Jennifer." The Armoured Slayer replied.

"Who found us on our fourth day at the Council?" the female voice asked.

"Dawn. She confiscated the smuggled beer before bringing us some of the best Hot Chocolate I ever had." Jennifer replied.

The private was released and the two figures stepped forward, both dressed in worn but clean and well-tended clothes and swords on their backs. One was Sarah, a woman in her mid-thirties, just like Jennifer, with dark red hair, and a younger woman in her early twenties with sandy-blonde hair.

"Silvia, get a signal to the Boss." Sarah ordered.

"Got it." Silvia said, before disappearing into the darkness.

"Sergeant, contact command." Jennifer ordered. "Relay to Senior Slayer Lehane that we have contact. Relay these words. 'found a sister'."

The Sergeant went a few feet away to make the call.

"Ten years, Jen." Sarah said. "We were abandoned. So why now?"

"We couldn't get to you, Sarah." Jennifer replied. "We've been trying to contain the invasion to Africa. But now there's a plan. Don't know the details, but there is a plan."

"Is that why Faith's here? What about Buffy?" Sarah asked.

"Buffy Summers is dead. Eight years now." Jennifer replied. "She died stopping a major Demonic invasion."

"I'm sorry." Sarah said.

Silvia returned from the darkness.

"The Boss acknowledged." Silvia reported. "Seven other teams have made contact. But their arrival has drawn attention. The local Demon Tribe is moving in on this position from the West."

"Priority One." Jennifer said into her radio on the command channel. "Reports of incoming Hostiles from the West. Demonic."

"Ridgeline, Ma'am?" the Sergeant suggested.

"Ridgeline." Jennifer agreed, before turning to Sarah and Silvia. "Do you have any other forces nearby?"

The Sergeant was ordering the squad to spread out and take cover along the ridgeline.

"No, we were scouting the area when we saw you drop in." Sarah replied as they also moved towards the ridgeline. "The Boss moves headquarters around a lot."

The squad hit the dirt just on the eastern side of the ridgeline, keeping low as they took their positions. Time passed slowly as they waited for the Demons.

"Movement." One of the soldiers reported. "Six hundred meters."

"Fire at four hundred." The Sergeant ordered. "If they get in close, support the three Slayers."

"I'm from the Agency." Silvia said.

"Ok, two Slayers and the Cyborg." The Sergeant amended.

TBC…


End file.
